Potential-varying and current-reversing apparatus.



N0. 763,615. i PATENTED JUNE 28. 1904. M. LAUR.

POTENTIAL VARYING AND CURRENT REVBRSING APPARATUS. APPLICATION MLPD SEPT. 4. 190s. No MODEL. mums-SHEET 1.

JKM/Caldara fave/dor PATBNTED JUNE zs,-19o4.

M. LAUR. POTENTIAL VARYING AND CURRENT RBVERSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4. 1903,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 24 N0 MODEL.

D M m /m m d A W. d W fiwm @1l/IM UNITED STATES Patented June 28, 190%.

PATENT EEICE.

MAURICE LAUR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 763,615, dated June 28, 1904.

I Application led September 4, 1903, Serial No. 171,897. (No model.)

To wl whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAURICE LAUF., a citizen of the French Republic, residing at New York, county andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Potential-Varying and Current-Reversing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and forming part of the same.

The object of my invention is to provide means for gradually varying the difference of potential between two ormore translating devices and to accomplish such variation gradually and in successive cycles'.

A further'ebject of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the kind mentioned which shall be simple and inexpensive inl construction and positive in operation.

To these and Vother ends it consists of the novel features and combinations hereinafter described, and more particularly set forth in the claims. Y

Referring now to the drawings, Figurey 1 shows a side elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

In the preferred embodiment which I have selected as illustrative of my invention the apparatus is designed for use with two translating devices-as, for example, two lamps or sets of lamps-which are to be energized alternately, the alternate energizations being accomplished gradually'and evenly instead of abruptly or by a series of abrupt variations. For this purpose thetwo sets of lamps are connected to two branches of the supply-main, and between the two I employ a variable resistance, as a bridge, through which the/current may be confined to one set or lthe other, according as the resistance is thrown into the opposite branch. By throwing the resistance in gradually the lamps 'may be made to fade gradually till they are entirely dark, while the opposite set is correspondingly raised from dark to full brilliance.

In the apparatus illustrated I employ as the variable resistance one or more rods G, ofv

agglomerated carbon or carbonaceous materials. These are supported at thelr ends 1n pole pieces or supports g, mounted on a convenient base B. To each pole-piece is connected a translating device T` T/, as shown, forming branches in the main 5. The other main, 6, is connected with a sliding contact or traveler E, having contact-arms F, which clasp the resistance-rods Gr G. It 'is now obvious that if the traveler be placed at the left end .of the rods the entire current will flow through the lamps T, since all the resistance is new in the other branch of the circuit.. If the traveler be moved to the right along the rods, a gradually-increasing part of the resistance will be thrown into the lirst branch, while the resistance in the other is decreased by the same amount. The lamps T, therefore, are waning while lamps T are waxing. This operation continues until the traveler is at the center of the rods, and the resistance being' equally divided both sets of lamps glow at half their maximum. As the traveler passes the center the waxing and waning of the two sets continue until the first lamps are at their minimum and the second at their maximum brilliancy. Upon reversing the movement ofthe Contact the reverse operation takes place.

Various devices within the scope of my in ventien may be employed. for causing the traveler to move along the rods. I prefer, however, to use a rotatable screw C, mounted parallel to the rods in standards A A, having at one end a screw-gear I, meshing with a worm J, which latter is rotated in any suitable way by the motor M, as through the instrumentality of the belt and pulley K. On the screw is a rider D, held against rotation by a rod (a, which is engaged by jaws on the upstanding arm (Z2, so that rotation of the screw will cause the rider to travel from end to end of the screw, according to the direction of the latters rotation. Depending from the rider is an arm (Z, adapted to engage stops or abutments e on the traveler E, and it will therefore be seen that movement of the rider along the screw will cause the contact to move correspondingly on the resistance-rods. For the purpose of reversing the motor, and thereby causing the screw to rotate in the opposite direction, I provide a switch or pole-changer mounted on the insulating-panel BC On opposite edges of the sector-shaped opening in IOO the panel are clips O P, while on the other side of the panel, and thereby insulated from the first set, are similar clips O P. Extending inward to the apex of the sector-shaped opening are arms L L', likewise secured on opposite sides of the panel, and pivoted thereto is a jointed switch consisting of two pairs of arms N and N', the former having an insulated finger f projecting therefrom, the latter being adapted to make contact with the clips O O and P P, as the case may be. Inside tlie arms is a contractile spring s, secured to the arms by its ends. It will now be readily understood that in the position shown in Fig. 1 the tension of the spring holds the arms Nl against the clips O O. If the arm N be nowl turned, the spring will gradually be extended until the arms N and N are in line. As N continues to move, however, the force of the spring is exerted in the opposite direction, and finally the arms N are instantly thrown across the open space into contact with theclips P P, thereby reversing the currentthrough the leads 1 2 3 4 to the motor, whereupon tlie armature is reversed and the rider begins to move in the opposite direction.

To venable the rider itself to actuate the pole-changer, suitable devices are provided for engaging and moving the finger f. Projecting from the standards A A are guides g' g', in which is loosely mounted a rectangular slide H, carrying adjustable abutments 7L li'. Outstanding from the rider is an arm cZ, having jaws which clasp the slide, as shown. On the other side of the slide is a pair of adjustable dogs n n', projecting far enough .to engage the linger f, which extends between them. It will now be seen that as the rider advances to the left on the screw it will finally engage the abutment z', and the slide being then carried along with the rider the dog will engage the finger f and th row the pole-changer over. The motor having been reversed, .the rider begins to retreat and the lampsrI` wane. At the other end of the riders path a similar operation occurs, and the lamps T', which have been raised to full power, then begin to grow dim. This operation therefore goes on automatically as long as current is supplied to the translating devices. rIhe various stops and abutments throughout the apparatus being adjustable, the duration of each cycle and the instant of reversal of the current maybe readily and accurately regulated. By spacing the abutments e on the traveler E farther apart than the thickness of the arm d the traveler may be made to remain stationary for a brief period of time at each end of its path, thereby permitting the respective translating devices to operate at full power for a corresponding period before the current thereto begins to diminish.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention may be conveniently used wherever it is desired to continuously vary the difference of potential between translating devices of any character, as before explained. It will also be understood that while I have specificallyand minutely described a preferred form my invention is capable of other and widely-varying embodiments without departure from its proper scope and also is not restricted to circuits with branches in multiple are.

Having now fully described my invention,

`what I claim isl. In an apparatus of the kind described, the combination with a branched circuit, and a resistance connecting the branches, of a traveling contact delivering current to the branches through the resistance, a screw to actuate the contact, an electric motor to rotate the screw, and mechanical means actuated by the screw to reverse the current through the motor, operating independently of the electrical condition of the circuit and its branches, as set forth.

2. In an apparatus of the kind described, the combination-with a branched circuit, and a resistance connecting the branches, of a traveling contact delivering current to the branches through the resistance, a screw for causing the contact to reciprocate on the resistance, an electric motor to Vrotate the screw, and means for reversing the current through the motor independently of the electrical condition of the circuit and its branches, comprising a pole-changing switch, and means actuated by the screw to operate -the switch, as set forth. f

3. In an apparatus of the kind described, the combination with a branched circuit, and a carbon resistance-rod connecting the branches, of atraveling contact on the rod to deliver current thereto, a screw to reciprocate the contact on the rod, an electric motor to rotate the screw, and means for reversing' the current through the motor independently of the electrical condition of the circuit. and its branches, comprising a pole-changing switch, and means actuated by the screw to operate the switch at predetermined regular intervals, as set forth.

4'. In an apparatus of the kind described, the combination with ascrew, amotor to rotate the screw,and a pole-changer for reversing the current in the motor-circuit, of a rider movable on the screw, a rectangular slide, means on one side of the same for engagement with the rider, and means on the other side for actuating the pole-changer, as set forth.

5. In an apparatus of thekind described, the' combination with a branched circuit, and means for increasing the resistance in one branch and decreasing the resistance in another, of an .electric motor to actuate such Vmeans, and mechanism for reversing the current through the motor to reverse the sequence of resistance variation in the branches of the IOO IIO

said circuit, comprising oppositely-disposed Separated contacts in the motor-circuit, a pivoted switch in the circuit and between the contacts, said switch consisting 0f a plurality of pivotally-connected arms, aspring between the arms adapted to hold one of said arms out of alinement with the other and against one of the contacts, and means actuated by the motor to operate the switch at regular intervals, as set forth.

6. In an apparatus of the kind described, in combination, a circuit having branches in multiple arc, one or more carbon resistance-rods connecting the branches, a sliding contact on the rods, a screw parallel to the rods, a rider on the screw adapted to engage the contact and move it on the rods, a motor Jfor rotating the screw, oppositely-disposed separated contacts in the motor-circuit, a pole-changing switch arranged between the circuit-contacts, and an arm on the rider for actuating the pole-changing switch, whereby the current in the motor-circuit will be reversed, as set forth.

7. In an apparatus 0f the kind described, the combination with abranched circuit, and one or more resistance-rods of agglomerated carbon connecting the branches, of a traveling Contact on the rods to deliver current to the branches, an electric motor for moving the contact on the rods to increase the resistance in one branch and decrease the resistance in the other branch, and means actuated by the motor independently of the electrical condition of the branches, t0 reverse the current through the motor and retract the contact, whereby the sequence of resistance variation in the branches will be reversed, as set forth.

MAURICE LAUR.

Vitnesses:

M. LAwsoN DYER, S. S. DUNHAM. 

